This is our child's second year at Kirby and we are absolutely thrilled. She is thriving and making…read morebig strides and I give credit to the teachers and staff at Kirby. I believe it is one of the best schools in Santa Cruz County. They do give our grants for tuition scholarship as well. I strongly recommend taking a tour to see for yourself the magic at this school!

This is a great school. They put a lot of emphasis on the skills and needs of the individuals. It…read moreis pretty expensive, but they have financial aid available for those who qualify. Great teachers and a wonderful staff. They are in the process of moving locations. They were in a great old building right in downtown Santa Cruz, but they had an opportunity to get a great building a little further out of town and they took it. The facilities will be better for the kids, with access to Harvey West Park and an underground parking garage.

I'm trying to convince my girlfriend's little sister to go here, but it's hard to get her excited…read moreabout it. I tried teaching her the school cheer: S.A.N.T.A C.R.U.Z. HIGH S.A.N.T.A C.R.U.Z. HIGH SANTA CRUZ SANTA CRUZ SANTA CRUZ HIGH! It didn't work (it is kinda lame after all) but I loved going here, I know she would too!

I used to come here during my teacher program days once a week... large campus with lots of…read morehistory. I came a few nights ago for a rainbow theater performance... I can't speak to their curriculum.. only facilities in which they are very accommodating to the community and university.

Great food deserves a Michelin star 1,000,000,000,000,000,00 out of 5 abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzread more

Obviously the best high school in Santa Cruz....but that's not saying a lot…read more Though some of the teachers suck a whole lotta donkey (but find me a school that doesn't), you can't beat everything else. The new campus is nice (besides the stairs...), the art classes are fun (holla at Graphic Arts), the MPR is...........useful (but not really...) and we put on great musicals, plays, choir recitals, band performances and dance company performances. In the sports department we're............well...we're in the paper a lot. So...take that. Many would say that we suck when it comes to offering AP classes and advanced electives. And they'd be exactly right. For shame Harbor.

My son has been going to this school for a few years. We love the community, the teachers have been…read moreoutstanding, the parents are actively supporting operations, and overall it's a very happy place to be.

ok so i personally don't like this school that much because the teachers are not nice and they yell…read moreat you for really weird reasons. also, im pretty sure lots of the teachers and office staff have bipolar depression... For example, they are singing and dancing and laughing with you then all of the sudden they start crying or screaming at you. I think alot of the staff have some kind of anger issues or anxiety because they seem to always be uncomfortable around children and definitely seem intimidated by their students.

I love the school it is always a good place. Have a good day or not the choice is yours.read more

I'm a parent in the works of enrolling my child in this school! What a great impression I've seen…read moreso far! The principle has a really awesome deminor about him! The front staff has been so helpful navigating the parent portal! Today Pam Perkins went above and beyond helping me with the enrollment papers! Thank you so much! We are excited about 6th grade! Wahoo! Sincerely from a parent that was born in this town and went to Branciforte middle school!

VHM changed our lives. When our oldest son refused go to Shoreline Middle School another day, we…read morereached out to VHM Christian School. VHM welcomed him to attend a sample day. The 6th grader that started out hiding in the parking lot was transformed by the loving staff into a child that not only excels, but enjoys going to school. That same school year when our oldest was finding a new path, our middle child was lost in the crowd at Del Mar in 3rd grade. He spent the year in the shadows largely ignored by his teacher, really not learning a thing. The choice between public schools and a caring, personal Christ-centered school became clear. The next year we had all three of our children (Kindergarten, 4th, 7th) attending VHM. The influence didn't just stop with our children. The example given by the staff led my wife and me on our own personal journey: back to a relationship with Jesus. If you would like to be part of an active school community (skate nights in the gym, date nights where the PTO watches children and lets the parents go on a date, Fall Fair, Science Fair, etc.) while having your children receive a superior education experience (proven test results) then I would highly recommend that you visit VHM and see if the fit is right for you and your child(ren). Classes sizes are small and the children reflect the values they are taught. An added bonus is an outstanding preschool program right on the VHM campus! This hidden gem when discovered by parents is frequently praised as "I can't believe this great program is right here!"

My son Abraham goes here, every time I pick him up from school he always has something to share…read moreabout what he learned that day, Teachers are great very interested in my son education always positive things in how to improve my son education. 5 stars!!

Smoking, drinking, cliques, sad depressed students. Heat island desert with low tree canopy to…read moreexposed ratio in outdoor areas. Beautiful bright classrooms with a lot of natural light and vaulted ceilings.

I went to this school and it ruined my life. Every day kids were throwing shit, smoking cigarettes,…read moreand hitting one another. The classes were large. The school was moldy and smelled bad. Because the teachers were burnt out and unable to actually monitor students the kids would regularly get in fights and would not be punished. One time a student hit me in the face and when I told a teacher both of us were suspended so functionally speaking I got punished for being punched in the face. Do you want your kid to be suspended for getting punched in the face? If so then send them to this school. It's just a place for poor and negligent parents to store their kids while they work because they don't care about what happens to them as long as the children are out of sight and not bothering them. So in review: it's an idiot factory where future criminals will beat your kids and get away with it. You'd be doing your kids a favor if, instead of enrolling them in this school, you withdrew them and locked them in a chest with a box of cereal while you're at work. Mission hill: worse than locking your kids in a box because, if you lock them in a box, at least crack babies won't hit them in the face.

We have had an absolutely wonderful experience at Santa Cruz Waldorf School! The nurturing…read moreenvironment and dedicated teachers truly set this school apart. From the moment we stepped on campus, we felt welcomed and inspired. The curriculum is thoughtfully designed to foster creativity and critical thinking, allowing children to explore subjects in a meaningful and hands-on way. Our children have flourished here, academically in math, writing, and languages, as well as more broadly with the arts, music, gardening, outdoor education trips, and more. If you're looking for a school that encourages a deep love of learning, I highly recommend the Santa Cruz Waldorf School.

Santa Cruz Waldorf School has been a good fit for my children. The kinder program is magical! Being…read moreable to play and learn to connect with peers and teachers AND nature is just what my children needed at that age. Over the years, we have learned reverence and rythm and the beauty of slowing down from our time at the school. Their love of festivals and community connection is unmatched. I appreciate the deemphasis on screen time as well. The Waldorf practice of teacher looping was something that was quite new to me and at first I was a little hesitant about. I have grown to see the process of keeping the same teacher from grade 1-8 as a true gift. It has given my children time to be seen and understood to learn most effectively. If you are exploring elementary and middle school alternatives, SCWS is a great option to consider!

I am posting mostly because I was shocked by the other review from 3/1/11. I went to Happy Valley…read morein the 80's and loved it. It's true that the school isn't very ethnically diverse but that's because the community is primarily Caucasian. However, the school has always had a great reputation for excellent education and a more liberal accepting atmosphere. Granted, it has been a long time since I was a student there, but please don't let one person's bad review send you away. Check it out for yourself!